Electric power is typically generated in a power plant by using one or more power generation units. A typical power generation unit can include a compressor that provides pressurized air to a combustor where the pressurized air is mixed with fuel and ignited for producing hot combustion gases. The hot combustion gases flow downstream from the combustor and into a turbine where energy is extracted from the hot combustion gases in order to rotate rotor blades that are attached to a shaft. The rotation of the shaft can be used to generate electricity in an electric generator and the generated electricity coupled into an electric grid for distribution to customers.
Interruption in the distribution of electricity to customers, particularly any interruption as a result of a malfunction or poor performance of the power generation unit, can be expensive and frustrating for customers. Consequently, significant efforts are typically taken to improve reliability and efficiency in the power generation unit as well as in a controller that controls the power generation unit. Towards this end, the hardware and the software used in the controller is often tailored more towards robustness than towards providing an extensive array of features and controls. Nonetheless, it may be desirable at times to replace, upgrade, or repair, some of the existing software in a controller for various reasons. At least some conventional solutions entail stopping of normal operations of the controller in order to do so, thus introducing various risks such as for example, a malfunctioning of the power generation unit or sub-optimal performance of the power generation unit while the controller is offline.